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Joe Bonamassa Forum → Joe's Guitars, Amps and Gear → PLEASE give me some tricks to clean my les paul goldtop?
Could you give me some tricks to clean my les paul goldtop,especially ways of clening the dust under the topbar and pickguard and the head under strings
are there any products too to prevent strings from sweat use and corrosion?
And about frets simple ways of cleaning them?
I usually clean my guitar head to toe during ever re-string. As far as the strings go, there are ways. A simple rag works pretty well and just wipe each individual string down to prevent corrosion. I pick my battles because my hands sweat. Short string life just goes with the territory. They make this thing...I forget what it's called...but you basically clip it to your guitar strings and run it up and down the neck. It supposedly does a really good job at keeping them clean. As for the body, be very careful as not all products are designed to work with all finishes. This may sound gross, but for really messy areas a little saliva is really good at polishing a guitar up. 
As above 
A tooth brush (soft one) is good for cleaning grime around frets, just watch that you dont go over board....
Lem oil on the neck (tiny amount when you re-string) and a good old duster for dust around the stop bar etc..
For the body theres nothing like a bit of elbow grease, I use a tiny amount of polish every now and then... but like stratpaul said spit is actually just as good (i often find the rag for polishing leaves more scratches than it started with)..
Actually whilst on the subject a bit of lem oil is actually pretty good for cleaning bodies with aswell just make sure you dont go over the top i.e. use the rag that you used on the neck. If it leaves the body greasy you've used too much...
As for strings I dont generally bother with trying to clean them, I use fast fret (its a stick you rub on them) but I dont think it works too well.
And a Caution just to save you some hassle if you have a maple fretboard (on another guitar or what not) DONT use lemon oil on it. A damp cloth will clean maple boards really well..
I'll slide my cloth underneath and do what I can only describe what what people to across their back or between their legs with a towel after getting out of the shower. 
HMMPH! 
Prissy guitar players. Grease and grime and funk is good for you, if you intend to play the damn thing. 
My brother always tells me that I'm a different old school madman of a bass player. He wants me to wash my hands. gasp
a little Turtle Wax mixed with water on the body, let it dry then gently wipe it off. Your guitar will look like it has a glass finish.
Gibson guitar polish for all painted areas. Lemon oil for rosewood and ebony fret boards. Fast fret spray for the strings. Just spray it on a rag and rub in on the strings.
I've heard that wax clogs the paint and kills the tone. Anybody else hear that or is it just one of those things? I have a paint brush (very soft) not sure what it's made of, but I use that to clean the dust under the bridge.....
Never use lemon oil...the oil will run under the frets & soften the wood and loosens the frets.
Clean head to toe when you re-string...watch closely the bridge & stud height adjustment screws & bolts as you wipe, so you do not move these parts...and thus change your original string height. Use the painters 3M brand removable tape to tape down these movable parts. I use Gibson's POLISH or Martin guitar's POLISH...not wax....If you clean your guitar reguilary...you should never have to wax....who does anyways?...perhaps older finished guitars.. Use Q-Tips to dust in tight places....and never leave your guitar out of it's case for long....sorry, they are cool just to look at.
For string cleaning, I use Fast Fret ...for $6 to $7 a can that contains a felt wand soaked in cleaner. Use it gently when new cause the wand is very juicy when new. The Fast Fret is not scented nor smelly...a real neutral smell. It lasts forever...you'll buy one a year maybe. I also use their spray can formula when I play, if my hands or strings are dry.....just spray up the fretboard real quick. Use the cloth provided with the Fast Fret wand to wipe strings down & when it gets dirty, hand clean it in the sink with mild soap....like Dreft baby powder soap, or other mild soap.....anyways. I always wipe down my strings after playing, with at least a dry white lint free towel. See your mom for some old hand towels that dont produce the lint. I take hold of each individual string, sliding some of the rag under it & zip down the neck cleaning all "sides" of the string. Old cloth baby diapers that have sewed edges work nice & wont fray after washing....or go to a a fabric store & buy some flannel...have them cut it for you...buy a light color so you see dirt building on the cloth faster than a dark towel. Take this flannel home & just keep washing it as you do laundry to really soften it.....or just buy a cleaning cloth at the G store.....duh Dan!....Sorry.
You can also use lighter fluid on today's finishes to get old build up off the fret board with a tooth brush...test in an inconspicuous place first.....but the rule is to always scrape with something softer than the surface...like a finger nail, then a tooth pick if your nail doesnt work. But really the first thing to use to clean funky stuff, is to first try your hot breath & a cloth, then work your way up the cleaning solution ladder. I also use Fast Fret (wand) on the fret board after removing strings to put a gloss on the LP rosewood fretboard, then lightly polish the extra off. This Fast Fret has some ''oil'' like conditioning to it, & I think it helps keep the board clean and not dry looking.
For the frets...try using somthing softer than the fret wire...like a pencil eraser...but you shouldnt have to clean/polish the frets. The hardest place is where the wood meets the fret, so use the Fast Fret wand and a towel.
The best advise here should come from thoughs of you with black guitars...the funk really shows on them.......Oh... I have a black Strat.!? >> Sorry so long ..>>>> DAN
PS...when polishing the wood...just polish the head stock, and between the pups, and bridge area...anywhere the strings get in the way. Then take the Fast Fret to the board, and wipe off extra. Re-string the guitar. Then lastly, polish the rest of the guitar ....cause as you restring, you are handling the guitar...putting more body oil on the finish.
I use the liquid Keyser string cleaner (white bottle) in the nut if the strings pinch, or use pencil lead on the wound strings if they pinch in the nut.It has a dauber felt applicator, and is just pure liquid so dab gently....For bridge saddles that stick, use sewing machine oil....a very light weight oil, and dilute it with some lighter fluid, and add drop on the stuck part.........That's all the lubing today.
Sorry but need to post this thought......scrapes in the woodCheck under the LP pick guard for any dents or where the pickguard screw tip could do this damage. I took an adhesive felt dot and stuck it to this screw tip. The felt dot is as round as a pencil eraser....go to the Lowe's for these furnature protector things department.
Also....apply a thin strip of that green felt you see under lamps to the sharp/bottom edge of the pickguard, or else it will dent a line into the wood......just tap or push gently down on the Les Paul pickguard to see where it could cause wood contact damage & apply thin adhesive felt.........hope that helps. I have a small dent/scrape from my pickguard screw end.
My neck pickup surround is crowded by the pickguard & is gently bent up, & is showing stress aging...becoming more brown than cream brown. I did shave a little off the pickguard years ago to relieve this stress, to no avail. any advise??
>> DAN
Also NEVER use micro-fiber cloth to wipe down your guitar. It will scratch the heck out of it. Always use chamois or cotton (flannel). Some guys use baby diapers.
I was gonna say earlier, that I baby my cleaning cloths....still have the same Martin brand flannel cloth (yellow) from 15 years ago.....always hand wash it in the sink, rinse, then soak for a few in fabric softner...just a little, and then hang dry. Once it dries, you can throw it in with the drying clothes for just a few minutes to fluff it up and soften it.
For that same reason of not wanting to put swirl (fine line) scatches in the finish....take care of your cleaning cloths.
For my playing set up, I fear banging the head of the guitar on the edge of the music stand!!
Old hand towels that are not the loop string terry cloth work well. They have a tight weave to the fabric, but are soft.These towels have a burbour carpet type 2 layer to them.....Stop by a garage sale on your lunch hour where they are selling the baby stuff....you'll find the diapers...or towels.. Dont use hand towels with painted images or fringes/ruffles...this will scratch your finish & make you look silly.
Overall...if the cloth feels rough to you, dont use it.>>DAN
HMMPH!
My brother always tells me that I'm a different old school madman of a bass player. He wants me to wash my hands. gasp
LOL I hardly ever clean my guitars. I'm so lazy.
bigjeffjones wrote:HMMPH!
My brother always tells me that I'm a different old school madman of a bass player. He wants me to wash my hands. gasp
LOL I hardly ever clean my guitars. I'm so lazy.
I actually gave up on my strats, I was spending more time cleaning than playing lol
Joe Bonamassa Forum → Joe's Guitars, Amps and Gear → PLEASE give me some tricks to clean my les paul goldtop?
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